Timeline of Richard III

Richard Plantagenet

His Life and Reign 1452 to 1485

1452

Born on 2 October 1452 at Fotheringhay Castle; son of Richard Duke of York and Cecily Neville. Richard is the younger brother of Edward, Edmund and George.

1460

The Battle of Wakefield, in Yorkshire; Richard’s father and brother Edmund are killed.

1461

The Battle of Towton, in Yorkshire. The Lancastrian army of Henry VI is defeated by the Yorkist army led by Edward Earl of March. Edward is affirmed as King Edward IV of England. Edward is supported by Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, known as The Kingmaker.

1467

The Earl of Warwick changes sides to join Henry VI in the fight for the throne.

1469

Warwick incites Yorkshire to rebel against King Edward.

1470

Edward and Richard’s brother, George Duke of Clarence, joins Warwick’s rebellion, forcing them to flee to Flanders. Henry VI is restored to the throne.

1471

Edward and Richard return to England. Warwick is killed at the Battle of Barnet and after the Battle of Tewkesbury, Edward regains the throne.

1472

Richard marries Anne Neville, the daughter of the Earl of Warwick and is given Sheriff Hutton and Middleham castles in Yorkshire.

1473

Richard has a son, Edward, and uses the next ten years to strengthen his position in the north of England.

1483

King Edward IV dies at Westminster. His son Edward V is named as King and his brother Richard Duke of Gloucester as Protector. Edward V and his younger brother Richard are taken to the Tower to await the coronation.

Edward and Richard, sons of Edward IV, are declared illegitimate by parliament and Richard Duke of Gloucester is named as King. The two young princes are not seen again.

Richard Duke of Gloucester is crowned King Richard III. His son, Edward is created Prince of Wales less than a week before they travel to York.

1484

The Council of the North sit at Sandal Castle in Yorkshire. Edward, the only legitimate child of King Richard III dies suddenly at Middleham Castle

The King commissions repairs at York Castle and work on the Minster College,York, possibly to commemorate his son.

1485

Richard’s wife, Anne, dies of tuberculosis.

Eighty soldiers are sent by the City of York to support Richard at Bosworth where he stands against Henry Tudor. They probably do not make it there in time.